Convince me Pop Tarts & ice cream are bad.

magerum
magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
edited January 18 in Food and Nutrition
My diet choices have come under a lot of scrutiny lately. Mostly my Pop tart and ice cream consumption. Please, convince me that I'm doing it wrong. Most of the people that have a problem with my diet say my food is nutrient deficient. In fact, I believe it's the unfounded fear of sugar that most people are taking exception.

My diary is open and I'm fairly consistent. Today is a good example of my typical day. The last few weeks I have been a bit more liberal with my diet as I'm coming up to a goal change at the end of the month. Go beyond that and you'll see major consistency (to the point of OCD almost). I advocate allowing yourself 20-25% of your daily caloric intake to consist of anything you want if you're able to hit your macro/micro nutrient needs & goals. For me, based on my intake goals, that's 800 -1000 calories, which I primarily have been allocating to sugar.

I would love to see how my surgary food is nutrient deficient as well, as I'm quite often told. Please show me in detail. Set me right. I log everything and their nutritional values are easily found online. For instance there's 14 g of sugar in one 200 cal Pop Tart. That leaves 144 calories of "other stuff". Is this other stuff air or is it fats/carbs/protein (even 10% of the RDA of 7 micro-nutrients) that are required nutrients?

I would prefer non-anecdotal evidence. As far as "empty calories" go, that's going to be a tough sell for me. A calorie is a unit of measurement and in order to have any caloric value there must be a certain amount of macro (even micro) nutrients present, we'll say for the sake of discussion, per gram of weight.

Info: My daily calorie goal is 4,000. I'm a 33 year old, healthy male, @ 5'10" and about 190 lbs right now. I do cardiovascular exercise 3 days a week and lift heavy (for me) 3 days per week. My "rest" day typically involves 20 minutes of cardio & activity with my toddler.

Resting Heart Rate: 58
Total Cholesterol (as of a couple weeks ago): 93
BP: 110/70

If you'd like to see any other health markers, just ask.

My typical ice cream, per serving (I tend to eat 4):

Calories 110
Calories from Fat 25
Total Fat 3(g)
Saturated Fat 2(g)
Trans Fat 0(g)
Cholesterol 5(mg)
Sodium 55(mg)
Total Carbohydrates 18(g)
Dietary Fiber 0(g)
Sugars 13(g)
Protein 3(g)
Calcium 6% DV
Vitamin A 4% DV

Typical Pop Tart (I tend to eat 2 at a time like most people):

Calories 200
Calories from Fat 45
Total Fat 5.0 g
Saturated Fat 1.5 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2 g
Monounsaturated Fat 1 g
Sodium 170 mg
Total Carbohydrate 35 g
Dietary Fiber 1 g
Sugars 14 g
Protein 2.0 g
Vitamin A 151 %
Iron 2 %
Niacin 2 %
Folic Acid 40 %

Edited for typos.
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Replies

  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    Oh boy.

    In.
  • Cr01502
    Cr01502 Posts: 3,614 Member
    Pop tarts are bad because they taste horrible.

    Ice cream I have no beef with.
  • Question: by what method have you determined a daily calorie goal of 4000kcal? I would say that a calorie intake of 4000 for you is a recipe for 1.5lbs/week or more of weight gain... was this a mistake?
  • smittieaj
    smittieaj Posts: 151 Member
    tumblr_ljh0puClWT1qfkt17.gif
  • Alex_is_Hawks
    Alex_is_Hawks Posts: 3,499 Member
    i think it's perfect.
  • LishieFruit89
    LishieFruit89 Posts: 1,956 Member
    Pop tarts are bad because they taste horrible.

    Ice cream I have no beef with.

    QFT
  • xFamousLastWordsx
    xFamousLastWordsx Posts: 301 Member
    Pop tarts are bad because they taste horrible.

    Ice cream I have no beef with.

    ^ This.
  • cmcollins001
    cmcollins001 Posts: 3,472 Member
    Ummm....I got nuthin'

    You win.
  • Barbellerella
    Barbellerella Posts: 1,838 Member
    Pop tarts are bad because they taste horrible.

    Ice cream I have no beef with.
    Finally someone with some sense!

    edited to add: Brown Sugar Cinnamon is the exception to this rule.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    Question: by what method have you determined a daily calorie goal of 4000kcal? I would say that a calorie intake of 4000 for you is a recipe for 1.5lbs/week or more of weight gain... was this a mistake?

    The dude's exercise diary is full of 1300+ calorie burns. So probably not a mistake.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    Pop tarts are bad because they taste horrible.

    Ice cream I have no beef with.

    I've never tried beef ice cream.
  • amandamae61288
    amandamae61288 Posts: 39 Member
    How on earth do you eat 18oz of chicken nearly daily for dinner? That seems impossible.
  • VelociMama
    VelociMama Posts: 3,119 Member
    They are bad because they lack bacon. DUH!
  • RobynC79
    RobynC79 Posts: 331 Member
    I'm just popping in to say thanks for providing an excellent bait thread to attract all the argumentative pseudo-science crusaders (not mentioning any names) so the rest of us can post sensible reasoned responses in all the other threads without having someone reply 'well so's your FACE!' several hundred times on the same thread. Again, not naming any names....

    Very civic-minded of you, cheers!
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
    It's not a big deal if you are eating (and burning) 3000-4000 calories per day. People that are questioning your choices probably don't consider this. For many who are eating less than 2000 calories a day, 800 calories every day from pop tarts and ice cream is a problem. Don't ask me to defend that assertion. I am pretty sure we all recognize this to be common sense.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    Oh boy.

    In.

    LOL I just think if youre gonna indulge do something worthwhile like a cream filled puff pastry...MMMMMM! I dont know about pressed cardboard flour sweet squares. Although I do admit to pop tarts showing up on my binges. Never ice cream though I'm the odd fatty that can take or leave ice cream. I hope youre only buying premium ice cream.

    I'm going to try to convince you to buy another pastry preferably a flaky buttery one with real cream. Shoot, I'd even bee happier if you tried jelly filled doughnuts you get more bang for your buck there. Also puff pastry is a treat to watch rise and you get some great antioxidants if they do a chocolate ganache. So I hope I've convinced you to purchase better baked goods.

    Double points if you make your own ice cream and pastries.
  • stepheatscake
    stepheatscake Posts: 167 Member
    Eat the ice cream and pop tarts, just have a balance obviously. If you balance the rest of your diet out with wholesome food and don't have it everyday then you're fine. Learn how to listen to your body and eat what you're craving.

    YOLO
  • JeanDescole
    JeanDescole Posts: 152
    If your fine with eating that and you still can provide your body with the nutrients it needs then I say go for it! Dont let other people that arent even qualified tell you what you should and shouldnt eat - its called minding your own buisness!
    However I may be biased due to my love of chocolate pop tarts and ben & jerrys phish food ice cream - a delicious combination :P
  • SRH7
    SRH7 Posts: 2,037 Member
    Question: by what method have you determined a daily calorie goal of 4000kcal? I would say that a calorie intake of 4000 for you is a recipe for 1.5lbs/week or more of weight gain... was this a mistake?

    The dude's exercise diary is full of 1300+ calorie burns. So probably not a mistake.

    Gulp. You mean we're supposed to eat back our exercise calories? Why doesn't MFP have that built into the way it works? Why God, why?!!!
  • tageekly
    tageekly Posts: 3,755 Member
    They are bad because they lack bacon. DUH!

    pop-tarts-and-bacon-sandwich-450x366.jpg
  • Luvmesumkenny
    Luvmesumkenny Posts: 779 Member
    Pop tarts are bad because they taste horrible.

    Ice cream I have no beef with.

    CR... I may have to delete you off my FL for this Absurd comment :-)
  • KenosFeoh
    KenosFeoh Posts: 1,837 Member
    Pop tarts are bad because they taste horrible.

    Ice cream I have no beef with.

    I was going to say the same.
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
    Pop tarts are bad because they taste horrible.

    Ice cream I have no beef with.

    This! switch Pop tarts for something that actually tastes good. Like a chocolate croissant!
  • alexroet
    alexroet Posts: 65 Member
    I totally agree. I lost 20lb and was within a pound of my first goal by simply staying under my calorie/fat goals. I didn't obsess about micro (and barely even macro) nutrients. And because I'm busy (I know, so is everyone) I do rely on a lot of processed foods. And there were days when I'd eat a candy bar, and I'd skip dinner to make up for it. I know I know, that's "SO BAD FOR ME".

    But then I started feeling that it was "bad" that I didn't eat more fresh/clean food. So I spent on a month on a strict meal plan that was mostly fresh fruits/veggies with small amounts of lean protein, etc etc. I spent a ton at the grocery store, and cooked every meal myself from scratch. So instead of eating a Lean Cuisine for dinner, I'd eat grilled salmon with brown rice and a salad, for example.

    My total caloric intake remained the same. My exercise routine stayed the same.

    And what happened? I gained 7lb in 4wk.

    so I'm back to my old method- eating whatever crappy food I want, as long as I stay under goal, and I'm losing again.

    Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to say my "healthy" diet is "bad for you", but just that my "very frowned upon by the MFP world" diet works better for me.
  • saxmaniac
    saxmaniac Posts: 1,133 Member
    They're pure evil. Tasty, delectable evil.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    They are bad because they lack bacon. DUH!

    pop-tarts-and-bacon-sandwich-450x366.jpg

    Ew that bacon is totally raw
  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
    Oh, there's no way I'm missing this one.
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    Question: by what method have you determined a daily calorie goal of 4000kcal? I would say that a calorie intake of 4000 for you is a recipe for 1.5lbs/week or more of weight gain... was this a mistake?

    The scale not moving at 4000 calories a day is my indicator.
  • Cr01502
    Cr01502 Posts: 3,614 Member
    Pop tarts are bad because they taste horrible.

    Ice cream I have no beef with.

    I've never tried beef ice cream.

    You're in luck.

    http://www.foodchannel.com/articles/article/860-flavors-of-ice-cream-including-beef-cheddar-a/
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    It's not a big deal if you are eating (and burning) 3000-4000 calories per day. People that are questioning your choices probably don't consider this. For many who are eating less than 2000 calories a day, 800 calories every day from pop tarts and ice cream is a problem. Don't ask me to defend that assertion. I am pretty sure we all recognize this to be common sense.

    Couldn't really agree more.
This discussion has been closed.